


Tales Of A Curious Nymph

by NarnianHobbit



Category: Chronicles of Narnia (Movies), Chronicles of Narnia - All Media Types, Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis
Genre: Eventual Romance, F/M, Fantasy, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-17
Updated: 2018-07-24
Packaged: 2019-06-11 23:48:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15327096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NarnianHobbit/pseuds/NarnianHobbit
Summary: She and the rest of the Narnians have been forced into hiding when Telmarine soldiers invade their land.Freya's always admired the Telmarine castle from afar and goes there almost every day despite her friend's warnings not to. She never took those warnings seriously.Until one day she gets caught by the prince and his professor. And it turns out he's just as curious about her as she is about him.





	1. Chapter 1

She hides herself in between a few bushes, just nearing the castle grounds. She never saw anyone there for some reason. There had to be people living there otherwise she had no idea why she had to hide in fear in the first place.

Freya pushes a few branches away and cranes her neck just to see the castle. She hasn't seen anything so beautiful since she stepped foot in the golden hall of Cair Paravel a thousand years ago and that was when she was young.

"Hello?"

A soft voice startles her out of her thoughts and she stifles a gasp threatening to escape her lips. There's a boy standing in the castle grounds not too far away from her. She hastily hides behind a tree as the boy comes near her.

"Hello?" He calls again. "Is someone there?"

Was he really expecting her to answer? She slowly and cautiously peaks at him from the tree, frowning at him. She hadn't even heard him approach. The others would be so upset if she interacted with a human. Then again...they weren't here to scold her.

"Hello?" She asks hesitantly.

The boy gasps and whirls around, staring right at her direction. She hides behind the tree before he can see her, startled by his smile.

"Is someone there?" He asks excitedly. "I heard you!"

His enthusiasm is enough to make her freeze. She thought humans were nothing but grumpy souls like the ones she's heard of invading the land. But he looks harmless.

Oh, she's going to be in so much trouble now. Her heart beat quickens as he walks dangerously close by her tree.

"Please, don't be scared," the boy pleads. "I won't hurt you,I promise!"

It's tempting. It's so tempting to jump out of the bushes. She wants nothing more than to talk with him and to be his friend.

"My prince!"

Freya jumps at the booming voice and scrambles further deep in the woods where she's sure they won't find her.

"How many times must I tell you not to enter the forest?" The old man scolds. Even with his stern tone, his eyes were sparkling with mischief.

"But there's something out there, professor!" The boy protests. "I heard them!"

The old man shakes his head, smiling sadly, "You probably just heard a trick of the wind, my boy."

"No, it wasn't!" The young Prince exclaims. "I heard it with my own ears. They said hello back!"

Here, the professor regards him with a small, thoughtful frown as he eyes the trees suspiciously.

"If that's the case, then it makes even more sense to come back with me," he tells the boy. "The trees can talk and see everything. It's not something you nor I should mess with. Alright?"

"Alright professor," the boy nods his head, sighing with disappointment.

"Now, let's return to your studies, shall we?"

"Aw, do we have to?"

She lets out a large breath she'd been holding in since they got too close to her. She huffs, pouting as she thought over what they said. She wasn't dangerous! She didn't even know any magic let alone how to fight! She shakes her head, laughing. She saw humans for the first time...up close! She still can't believe it. She can't believe she did this.

"Lost something, have we?"

Freya squeals and jumps onto a nearby tree, thinking they had come back for her. She hears a familiar, deep chuckle from in front of her and slowly looks around the tree to see who it is.

"Oh, it's you, Trumpkin!" She greets him casually, sighing with relief. She climbs down the tree and leans against it. "What brings you out here...in the woods?"

"I was gathering firewood," Trumpkin raises his eyebrows. "like you should be doing...right now."

"I was going to get firewood," she says with a wince. "then I got distracted."

"By humans, no doubt."

"No!" She says but stops at Trumpkin's pointed stare. "Yes..."

"We've told you not to go beyond the woods time and time again, Freya!" Trumpkin exclaims exasperatedly.

"I know, I know!" She shouts. "But can you honestly blame me? Just look at what's out there!"

"Freya..."

"Just look!" She moves the branches over and smiles at the awe on the dwarf's face as he stares at the castle.

"It's beautiful, Freya," he sighs. "but you know Narnians aren't allowed there. Its just ...too dangerous right now."

"That's a silly rule," she frowns.

"I know but it's a rule nonetheless," Trumpkin says softly. "Let's get going. The others are probably wondering where we are."

"You aren't upset with me," she says as she helps carry some of the firewood. "Are you, Trumpkin?"

"I'm not upset," Trumpkin sighs. "But Trufflehunter might be when he finds out."

"But he's not going to find out...right?" She asks with an innocent smile.

"Oh no, I know what you're doing and you're not going to pull a fast one on me this time," Trumpkin argues. "Now come on!"

She huffs, blowing a strand of black hair away from her eyes as she begrudgingly follows Trumpkin. She pauses for a moment to glance back at the castle which is getting smaller as they walk further and further away.

~~*~~

  
Trumpkin opens the door in the tree, waving at her to signal that it was clear for her to go through. She ducks her head as she enters and smiles when she immediately smells the stew boiling in the kitchen.

"And where have you two been?"

She and Trumpkin both freeze at the voice and stare at each other, pointing at one another frantically. They straighten up as soon as a tall, black and white badger enters the room with a cooking pot in his paws.

"We were...just gathering the firewood like you said, Truffles!" Freya says with a brilliant smile.

"That's not what Nikabrik tells me."

Freya and Trumpkin turns towards the dwarf sitting by the dining table. They send him nasty glares, mouthing the words "Traitor!" to him. Nikabrik merely replies with a smug grin.

"And don't you do that, Nikabrik, you went after them so you're in trouble too!"

Freya cackles as the dwarfs smile completely disappears as he stares at the badger in disbelief.

"You went out to the castle again, didn't you?" Trufflehunter asks.

"I did," Freya sighs. She might as well tell him the truth. She's going to get in trouble either way.

"You can't keep doing that, you know," Trufflehunter tells her. "We've told you so many times..."

"Not to go to the castle," she says with him, rolling her eyes. "I know I can't go! I can't help it, Truffles!"

"I know it's hard but you just have to understand ..." Trufflehunter pauses at her defeated look. "You realise they're the reason why your own family disappeared into their trees, don't you?"

"Yes, I realise that!" she shouts. Her shoulders tense. She didn't need another reminder of the day Cair Paravel fell. She didn't need another reminder that her friends fell. How she got left behind. She'd rather forget it all.

"I'm sorry, Freya," Trufflehunter sighs.

"I know, I'm sorry too, Truffles," she apologises.

"Now, go and place the firewood in the fireplace , will you?"

"You got it!"

As Freya gathers up firewood from the table, she finds herself glancing over at the door longingly. She sighs heavily. She has the urge to sneak out again. But she stops herself the moment Trufflehunter calls for her. She'll have to sneak out another day.


	2. Chapter 2

It's hard sneaking past them. But, she had to. It just wasn't in her nature to just sit around. As she snuck out of the house, she can't help but glance over guiltily. She did promise. _Sorry, Truffles,_ she thinks, _but_ _I_ _want_ _to_ _see_ _more of the castle._ Freya takes a deep breath before sprinting through the woods. 

 

She cries out as a rope falls on top if her and she stumbles back , frantically trying to get it off.

 

"Wait, don't do that!" The boy pleads with her. "It'll only hurt you more!" 

 

She freezes at the sound of his voice and stares at him with wide eyes as he gets closer to her. She stays still, watching his every movement with caution. 

 

"I'm not going to hurt you," he tries to reassure her as he slowly inches forward. "I'm trying to help you." 

 

She slowly stops her struggling to get a good look at him.

 

"I was told not to trust humans," she replies, despite her fear.

 

"And I was told not to trust Narnians," he points out. "but you look like a human."

 

Her jaw drops indignantly and she places her hands on her hips as she glares at him, "I most certainly am not human!" 

 

"What are you?" 

 

"I'm a nymph!" She huffs. If all humans were this annoying, she'd much rather stay in her little home than venture out in the castle. "What were you expecting? A savage?" 

  
"Are all nymphs as pretty as you?"

Her cheeks heat up despite her annoyance. Who did he think he was?

"Are all princes annoying as you?"

A sharp _ting!_ echoes in the forest as the boy pulls out a sword from his belt. She stiffens as he comes closer and a sense of panic swells as he points the sharp object at her. Truffles and Trumpkin were right. Humans were pure evil. She shouldn't have snuck out. She shouldn't -- She squeals as he brings the sword down. 

 

Except ... it doesn't hit her like she expected. It cuts the rope in half. Freya opens her eyes (she, embarrassingly closed them when he got closer) , and stares at him in surprise. He smirks at her.

 

"You were saying?" He drawls out. 

 

"I still don't trust humans," she crosses her arms and sticks up her nose at him.

 

"I just saved your life," he says indignantly. 

 

"That doesn't make you trustworthy." She argues. 

 

"Are you really a nymph?" 

 

She's taken aback by his genuine curiosity. She lets her guard down for a moment to stare at him. He had dark hair and tan skin that hinted at foreign blood. His dark eyes are free of malice. She's never seen anything like him before. Granted, she's never been out of the forest before. 

 

"I am," she answers hesitantly. "Why do you ask?" 

 

"Because you're a Narnian, of course!" He exclaims with excitement. "I be never met anything like you before!" 

 

"That's funny," she says sheepishly. Her cheeks warm up when he asks her what she meant. "I thought the same thing about you." 

 

"I've always wanted to learn more about Narnians," he confesses. 

 

"Why?"

 

He hesitates. As if he wasn't all too sure himself. 

 

"I've...always wanted to learn about humans," she tells him. 

 

She doesn't know why she tells him this. Maybe it's because he's the first human she's met in a long time. She vaguely remembers meeting the kings and queens of old. They were as young as her. And they were kind and loving to all creatures. Why weren't the Telmarines like them? 

 

"I think it's because of my professor," he says after a small silence. "He's told me so many stories about the Golden age. About the Golden Age and what sort of creatures that lived in that time. About the summers with the fauns and dryads."

 

She smiles. She remembers those summers quite well. They were always so fresh in her mind. Almost like it happened yesterday. 

 

"We used to dance with the dryads and the fauns would play music on their pipes," she tells him. "Sometimes the kings and queens were there. They'd tell stories and sing lullabies." 

 

"I wish I could've been there," he smiles. "It sounds lovely."

 

"It was," she says wistfully. "We don't do that anymore, not since..."

 

"Since my people attacked," he realises. She nods reluctantly. "I hope to change that one day. When I become king."

 

"I hope so. I truly miss it." 

 

How was he so easy to talk to? She frowns as she glances up at him. There's a thoughtful expression on his face as he glances at the forest behind her. Did he want to go there? 

 

"Caspian."

 

His voice startles her out of her thoughts, "Sorry?" She asks with a small frown.

 

"My name...it's Caspian." 

 

She realises with a start that they never did tell each other their names, "Mine's Freya." 

 

"Can you come with me?" 

 

"What?" 

 

"To the castle! To meet my professor!" 

 

Her heart pounds wildly in her chest. Does he realise what he's asking her? This is her chance. To do something that she's always wanted.

 

"You are certainly becoming a handful, aren't you my prince?" A soft voice interrupts him.

 

Freya squeals from shock and jumps behind Caspian who pushes her back, holding out an arm to shield her from danger. 

 

"Oh, it's just you professor," Caspian chuckles nervously. "What are you doing out here?" 

 

"Getting ready for your next lesson, which you should be at  
...right now." Caspian merely smiles sheepsihly. He glances right at Freya who shrinks underneath his gaze. "Who's this?" 

 

"Oh, this is Freya," he chuckles at the alarm on the nymphs face as she buries herself put of sight. "You can let go of my arm now. He won't hurt you."

 

"How can you be sure?" She asks, glaring at the newcomer with caution.

 

"He's my professor," Caspian introduces.

 

Freya reluctantly lets go of the Prince to get a good look at the old man. There's something off about him and she couldn't quite place what it was. 

 

"You don't look like a human," she observes. 

 

"That's because I am not one, my dear," he smiles. "I'm a Narnian just like yourself." 

 

"How did you manage to get a job in the castle if you're Narnian?"

 

"Let's just say the prince's folks are not as intelligent as they appear," he winks at her.

 

"Hey!" 

 

"I mean no offence, my prince."

 

Freya giggles at the affronted look on Caspian's face. 

 

"Would you like to come to the castle with us, Freya?" The professor asks politely. 

 

Would she ever! But-- 

 

"You aren't going to turn me in, are you?" Freya asks.

 

"Only if you don't turn me in," the professor retaliated. 

 

She grins and takes a step forward to follow them but stops herself at the last second. What about the others? They haven't left their tree in who knows how long. She glances back at the forest.

 

"Aren't you coming, Freya?" Caspian calls to her. 

 

No. She couldn't pass up this opportunity. She couldn't live like them anymore. So she turns away from the forest, trying her best to smile at the boy staring at her worriedly, and sprints towards them.


End file.
